One of my other larger interests is public health and medicine. Through this paper I wanted to combine this passion with my drive for developing women’s empowerment initiatives.

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Abstract: Using the Health Equity Framework, the purpose of this paper is to explore how acculturation (cultural assimilation) has affected the willingness and ability of Latina American immigrant women to access healthcare in their respective communities. Overall, it focuses on the lack of healthcare equality amongst this demographic and how existing systems leave these women with greater health disparities. This paper reviewed academic journals and peer-reviewed literature to collect data and information throughout the paper. The results of the study indicate the impact of stress and/or support from family members, the role of pressured gender roles, how new laws instill a sense of fear and completely restrict these women from accessing healthcare, the cultural values concerning mental health, and explore religion as being the main factors affected by acculturation within each sphere of influence in the HEF – Relationships and Networks, Individual Factors, Systems of Power, and Physiological Pathways. By uncovering the roots of each cultural factor and its interaction with acculturation in a new environment, one can discover the true reason why so many women struggle with poor health outcomes and their health increasingly declines once entering the United States. In conclusion, new research solutions, clinical practices, health system updates, and new services can be enforced in areas with high Latino populations to reduce strain and neglect put on their health and prevent future generations from becoming trapped under the same cyclical system of poverty. Overall, this paper highlights the urgent need for increased health equity amongst immigrants countrywide.

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